Paper-punch cleaner



Feb. 6, 1923. 1,444,736.

c. B. FOWLER.

PAPER PUNCH CLEANER.

' FILED JAN. 7. 1922.

WITNESSES l4 INVE/VTUI? Ummms Fatented Feb. 192?.

ll i i? f T T CLARENCE FOWLER, OF NEW YORK, N. Y.

PAPER-PUNCH CLEAN-ER.

Application filed January 7, 1922. Serial No. 527,660.

T 0 all whom it may concern.

Be it known that I, CLARENCE B. FOWLER, a citizen of the United States, and a resident of the city of New York, borough of Manhattan, in the county and State of New York, have invented a new and Improved Paper-Punch Cleaner, of which the following is a full, clear, and exact description.

The invention relates to a cleaning device for paper punches, and has for an ob ect the provision of means whereby the paper is prevented from sticking in the punching aperture. The paper usually sticks in the punch aperture whenever the punch beg ns to get dull, and this is an annoyance and results in considerable lost motion 1n agam clearing the aperture.

Another object resides in the prov1s1on of means attached to the punch whereby the cleaning action takes place entirely automatically during the manipulation of the punch.

A further object resides in the prov sion of means whereby the action of the cleaning device does not in any way prevent the centering of the punch on the proper point.

A still further object resides in the particular construction and arrangement of parts which are hereinafter described and claimed and shown in the accompanying drawings.

The invention is illustrated in the drawings, of which- Figure 1 is a side elevation of a punch showing a portion thereof in section.

Fig. 2 is a side elevation of a modified form of punch.

Fig. 3 is a perspective view of one form of cleaning device.

The form of the inventionv shown in the drawings is a preferred form, although it is understood that modifications in the con struction and arrangement of the parts and in the character of the materials used may be adopted without departing from the spirit of the invention. 7

The invention is adapted to be applied to any punching apparatus, and in general comprises a cleaning device disposed adjacent the punching aperture into which the punch projects or moves. This cleaning means is associated in one manner or another with the movement of the punch so that as the punch moves toward the punching aperture the cleaning device normally moves out of the aperture, and as the punch is with,

handle portions 3 and 4 which are pivoted in the usual manner at 5 and which are adapt,- ed to be held in their open or retracted position by means of a spring 6 in a well known manner. One of the jaws is provided with a punch 7 and the other jaw is provided with a bore or aperture 8.

In the form of punch shown in Fig. 1, the paper or material to be cut or punched is to be disposed on the upper surface of the jaw 1 above the aperture 8 and between a proecting portion 9 and the body. This proj ectin portion is provided with an aperture 10 in line with the aperture 8. The usual form of gage device 11 is disposed with relation to the upper surface of the jaw 1 to adjust the distance of the punch from the edge of the paper. As the handles 3 and 4:, therefore, are drawn together, the punch 7 moves out of the aperture 8 against the lower face of the paper and forces the cut portion of the paper into the aperture 10. Ordinarily when the punch is retracted the paper in the aperture 10 tends to remain there and clog the aperture, so that in using the punch the operator cannot see the paper through the aperture 10 and thereby be enabled to center the paper properly.

To avoid this objectionable feature, I have provided means operatively associated with the aperture 10 to remove the paper after the punch has been withdrawn from the aperture. One form of this means is shown in Fig. 1 as a spring 12 connected at one end 13 to the handle 3, at the other end formed as a tubular portion 14, and in the retracted position of the handles 3 and 4 normally disposed well within the aperture 10. As the handles 3 and 4 are pressed together, the tubular portion 1 1 is withdrawn from the aperture and moves along the upper surface of the projecting portion 9. This action takes place because whenever the handles are squeezed together the distance between the upper jaw of the handle and the punching aperture increases, in consequence oi which the ejector or cleaner rises out of the "/unching aperture 10 and, due to the tension oi the spring 12, rides along the outer surface of the jaw or the portion 5), which. of course, is a part of the jaw 1. When the handles are released the levers cross, the cleaning device slides back into the aperture 10 ant. forces out the paper or other material clogged therein. The end 14: of the cleaning device is made tubular so as permit the operator to look through it and center the punch over any desired marks on the paper or material to be punched.

In the modification shown in Fig. 2 the punch comprises merely the two jaws l5 and 16 and two handles 17 and 18 pivoted 19. The jaw 15 having the punching aperture 20 and the spring 21 is connected at to the handle 17, the other end 23 of the spring normally lying in the punching aperture when the handles are in the retracted or open position shown. It is, of course, understood that the particular kind of spring used is immaterial. Various modifications of this invention may occur to one skilled in the art and be still within the scope of the invention.

It is not necessary that the cleaning device be completely withdrawn from the punching aperture, but it is preferable that it be drawn up in the aperture far enough to keep away from the end of the punch so that the end of the punch'will not become dull by contact with the cleaning device.

What I claim is: v

1. A. punching mechanism which comprises a jaw having a punching aperture therein, a handle for operating' said mechanism, and a spring plate. connected at one end to the handle and projecting into the punching aperture at the other end, this tree end of the spring being formed tubular in shape to permit the operator to observe the material being punched through the tube when the tube is in the aperture.

2. A punching mechanism. which comprises a jaw having a punching aperture therein, a handle for operating said mechanism. and a spring plate'connected at one end to the handle and projecting into the punching aperture at the other end, this free end of the spring being formed tubular in shape to permit the operator to observe the mate: rial being punched through the tube when the tube is in the aperture, said tubular p01 tion of the plate lying normally in the aperture when the handle portion is retracted whereby the debris is forced out of the aperture.

3. A punching mechanism which co1nprises a pair of jaws, a handle portion attached to each jaw, one of said jaws having a punching; aperture therein, and a spring plate attached to the handle portion of the other jaw member at one end and at the other end projecting into the punching aperture when the jaw carrying said aperture is retracted, whereby the material in said aperture may be cleaned out.

CLARENCE B. FOWLER. 

